Building a Windows 10 v1607 reference image using MDT
By Johan Arwidmark / August 3, 2016With Windows 10 v1607 just released, its about time for a quick guide on building the perfect Windows 10 v1607 reference image.
With Windows 10 v1607 just released, its about time for a quick guide on building the perfect Windows 10 v1607 reference image.
It’s early August, and a shiny August it is already: Both Windows 10 v1607 and Windows 10 ADK v1607 released within 24 hours 🙂
Since ConfigMgr 2012 R2 SP1, the boot images used has been more “sensitive” to network configurations, and in ConfigMgr Current Branch it got even worse. However with some simple tweaks you can configure the boot images to work in the crappiest of networks. Here is what you need to do.
Anyone using ConfigMgr for OS Deployment for more than four seconds knows that it’s the log files you turn to when things go wrong. However even in ConfigMgr Current Branch (currently v1511 as base version, with v1602 as most recent upgrade), since debug logging is enabled by default, a log file can easily grow to 5 – 6 MB with just the default task sequence. That wouldn’t be much problem if the log file didn’t truncate a 2 MB, and then created an archive (one archive only). 2 + 2 MB is still less than 5 – 6 MB.
For those of you using WSUS standalone for your updates, here is a collection of tips and tricks:
Most managing solutions (SCCM/ConfigMgr, Intune, or just scheduled PowerShell tasks 🙂 ) makes use of an agent type method for control, to make sure the computer can do the work when it’s capable of doing so (like being on the network, powered on etc.). However, sometimes you have to get some Ad Hoc work done quickly, on as many machines as possible at that moment, and for that PowerShell and CIM sessions can be very useful.
During MMS 2016 I demonstrated how to use a web service to query AD groups in order to install ConfigMgr Packages and Applications dynamically during OS Deployment, here is the code and sample scripts.
As you probably know, ConfigMgr Current Branch has a built-in task sequence template for Windows 10 Inplace-Upgrades. This template is used for Windows 7/8/8.1 to Windows 10 upgrades as well as Windows 10 to Windows 10 upgrades (when a new build is available).
Lately one of my Windows 10 machines started to behave quite strange, after about a day of use, browsing Internet was no longer possible. I could still ping resources, but not use any browser or other application requiring Internet access. A reboot fixed the problem, and then after about a day, sometimes less, the same thing happened.
Follow-up post to an earlier post on installing PowerShell 4.0 for Windows 7 using MDT, this time for PowerShell 5.0.
Yesterday I got a question on Twitter from Kyle Wilcox about installing PowerShell 4.0 using MDT for a Windows 7 build. So here it is: A geeks guide to install PowerShell 4.0 for Windows 7 using MDT 2013 Update 2.
Earlier this afternoon I was watching the Deploying Windows 10: Automating Deployment by Using System Center Configuration Manager live event from Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA). The three sessions were presented by Aaron Czechowski and Wally Mead, both well known profiles within the ConfigMgr space. Here follows a summary of the live event:
In two different production environments, running ConfigMgr Current Branch (1511), I have seen the “Failed to find a valid network adapter” error happening when starting a bare metal deployment. In both environments the machines did get an IP address, and pretty quickly too, but apparently not quickly enough for ConfigMgr.
What to do on a Sunday morning? Well copying a 10 GB MDT media deployment share (OEM Scenario) to 32 USB sticks for a start 🙂
Yay! My Windows 10 OS Deployment sessions from NIC 2015 are now available on YouTube.
If you have been deploying Windows for longer than 4 seconds, you know that the MDT log files are written in a format designed for the CMTrace utility. Here are two quick guides on how to add it to the MDT boot images (the supported way, and the cool/fun way 🙂 ).
When using MDT 2013 Update 2 (Lite Touch) for your deployments the default behavior is to run every task sequence action as the local Administrator account. In addition to this, MDT also connects to the deployment share using the account you start the deployment with. Either typed in via MDT deployment wizard login dialog box, or automated via bootstrap.ini. But what if you want to run the task sequence, at least the last part of it, as a different user in order to access resources on other servers than the deployment server? Or simply to install applications as a different user.
Over the years I have been using a few different scripts to have the task sequence send an email when the deployment is completed. For example this post: Configure MDT 2010 to send an email when deployment is completed. Another common way to do this is to use status filter rules in ConfigMgr. A good example is the Send an email when OSD completes a deployment post by Benoit Lecours.
It’s been two great weeks, I’ve been travelling the US presenting Windows 10 trainings and sessions in Phoenix, Austin and Dallas (SCU 2016). But, it turned out I said something wrong, on all of them too, which is a new kind of record for me… Anyway I decided to use this classic joke as the headline for an apology, and clarification, to the good folks attending my Windows 10 sessions.
A little while ago, a good friend (you know who you are 🙂 ) asked for help on creating a new Windows 7 reference image. So here it is: A Step-by-step guide to create the perfect Windows 7 reference image using MDT 2013 Update 2.